National Republican., 1887-03-03
Residents as OmcehoIdors In this
District.

EDITOR NATIONAL REPUBLICAN,: In the
Star Of last evening, in its editorial columns,
"the surprise and indignation" "of the peo.
pie of Washington" 'inspired" by the
nomination Of James NJ. Trotter, o Boston
Mugwump ''negro barber" as recorder Of
deeds for this District, is depressed" "to
the President Of the United States" In very
forcible language. The nomination OF
nonresident colored Mugwump barber,
after the rejection of Matthews, o non-resi-
dent colored Democrat, is denounced as
"indicatiDg" in the President "a deliberate
persistence In an undemocratic and un-
American line Of conduct'-as ''scarcely
less than political crime" 1t refers to the
fact that "the people Of this District" (our
"defenseless District') shave no votes"
"The appointment" is arraigned as ''an In
suit and q slap in the face to every District
citizen, violating pledges and ignoring
natural rights''--"a double insult to every
District Democrat"-aye, "a triple insult to
personally and politically and rs citizens.n
"National rights" and "citizensl" "Col-
ored citizens Does ofIiceholding, or a
right to hold Office, merely, constitute citi-
zenship2" What other right, natural or other,
has either white or colored In our "defense-
less District?" The Star itself answers the
inquiry. 1t declares "The new Democratic
figuring In Taney's shoes, teaches that no
District citizen, white or colored, Demo-
crat or Republican, has any rights which
nonresident negroes III they are political
strikers for q President OF the United
States), are bound to respect. From this
new bred Scott decision the citizens Of the
District appeal to the people Of the United
| States" Our "citizens" colored and white,
are simply freedmen, with 'death and tax
| Of No mi N
| irresponsible triumvrate despotism pure
and simple in all its forms.
Now, SO far as the above relates to Trot.
| ter's nomination, am frank to say that
| just now care but little, Nevertheless, l
| applaud the Starts vigorous exposure of our
"defenseless" and degraded condition. l
lament only that its utterance was not in
reprobation of an unrighteous scheme OF
conflscation Of District property contem-
plated by bill II. r. 0O64, aud exposed in
The REPUBLICAN, Of the 23d ultimo-a bill in
Its principles and purposes both "undemo-
cratic and un-American."
Turning to another column OF the same
issue Of the Star / find this iniquitous bill
noticed without word of reprobatory sin
dignation and surprise'-even with an
equinimity-a placidity, indeed-strangely
In contrast with its otherwise state of sin
dignation and surprise" II this District
is politically In the "defenseless" condition
In which the Star so truthfully describes
tour citizens degraded into freedmen
despoiled Of all political rights-are they
not so, at least, in oil our municipal rela
tions, as the result Of the rapacious aud in.
solent violations of oil law by rulers moi
chosen by the suffrages Of our 'citizens,
but inflicted upon us by Congress thu
for the unlawful work Of which under thit
bill (H. r., 9064) are proposed to be col.
lected by confscation OF the property
against which they are held =?
II, then, the nomination OF non-reslden
"negro" Mugwump justifes 80 terrible .
judgment as that of the Stars, what 4
merited by this proposed scheme of coniis
less" citizens "get up and getW 9Th
poor or public be ID" is the bruta
dogma Of this BILL Is not political dis
franchisement In all municipal affairs with
out conflscation sufficient penalty upol
our people for the unlawful acts Of boar,
forced upon us by an alien Congress9
Hence, II a simple nomination Of q non
resident, whether colored or white, to
petty local office, arouses such fierce ''indig
peal to the people Of the United States" ther
II this iniquitous bill passes--if 1t become
a law and Is supported by the courts, for
will be everywhere fought-if the propert
OF our people under 1t Is conascated-ou
people compelled to ''get up aud git"-
The "evicted wretches" will also, loudly an
long, appeal to the people Of the Unite
there is press they shall be heard. The
spirits, "defenseless as they are," equa
that OF the "evicted Irish," who, in a Ill,
cause, appeal to the humanities of th
Christian world. PHILo CITIZEN.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Mar. 2, 1887.